Franklin City Council approves mutual‑aid agreement amendment, several budget amendments and an appointment

The Franklin City Council on Feb. 10 approved a package of routine and fiscal items, including an amendment to a regional law‑enforcement mutual‑aid agreement, two budget amendments and an appointment to a local board.

The council adopted a resolution approving an amended law enforcement mutual‑aid agreement to permit the Western Tidewater Regional Jail to join the existing aid pact that covers Franklin, Suffolk and Isle of Wight County. City staff said the jail had previously lacked a formal mechanism to request regional assistance.

“The Code of Virginia 15.2‑1728 authorizes local governing bodies, agencies, and departments to enter into mutual aid agreements,” the city manager read into the record as the resolution was presented. The council moved, seconded and the motion carried.

Council also recognized February 2025 as Benefit Program Specialist Appreciation Month, citing the local department of social services’ role administering SNAP, TANF, Medicaid and other programs. Sarah from Franklin’s Department of Social Services accepted the recognition and introduced two staff members, Keisha Malone and Risha Moore Cofield, who administer childcare subsidy, energy assistance, SNAP and Medicaid locally.

A budget amendment accepted a $5,000 grant from Bridal Federal Credit Union to support the Police Explorers program. Council approved the measure after a short discussion and recorded the motion as carried.

The council approved a separate budget amendment to correct how the city accounted for taxable reimbursements tied to two city manager contracts. According to the city manager’s presentation, the city previously reimbursed a former interim city manager for housing and reimbursed the current city manager for moving expenses; those reimbursements were later determined to be taxable under IRS rules. The amendment appropriates $6,534.01 from the general fund unassigned balance to cover taxes and related liabilities the city did not withhold — $2,285.72 for the prior interim city manager and $4,248.29 for the current city manager — and requires finance to update 2024 federal and state tax reporting.

Council members discussed the oversight that led to the accounting treatment and confirmed the city attorney and finance staff had reviewed the contracts and recommended the budget correction. The motion passed.

Brenda Peterson was nominated and unanimously appointed to the Franklin Social Services Advisory Board. The council then convened a closed session under Virginia Code §2.2‑3711(a)(1) to discuss prospective candidates for employment; after the closed session the council reconvened, certified the closed meeting, and recorded the certification roll call.

All votes on the Feb. 10 consent and routine business items were recorded as carried in the meeting minutes; council did not change any policy on the night of Feb. 10.